


Going Out with a Bang

by MightyAmphitrite



Series: Season 4 Redux [3]
Category: Glee
Genre: Canon divergence - season 4, Dancing and Singing, F/M, Fix-It of Sorts, Fluff, Hopeful Ending, Humor, M/M, Music, Nationals, Teamwork, lots of cameos
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-04
Updated: 2019-10-04
Packaged: 2020-11-23 21:36:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,959
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20896481
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MightyAmphitrite/pseuds/MightyAmphitrite
Summary: "There's no way we'll find enough people to sing with us in the next two weeks," Artie said sadly."Don't give up yet, guys," Mr. Schue said, turning to the whiteboard and writing down 'New Recruits'. "This school is teeming with hidden talent. If we look hard enough, I'm sure we can track down enough people." He grinned. "Go find us some new members, and be sure to mention that Nationals is in Los Angeles this year."~Nationals is coming up and the Glee Club's chances at victory seem slim. But with a growing group of off-beat McKinley students onstage and plenty of Warblers and Glee alumni in the audience, this will definitely be a competition to remember.





	Going Out with a Bang

"Nationals is right around the corner, guys!" Mr. Schuester said as he strode into the choir room. "We need to buckle down and give it our all if we want to make the top ten." When he made it to the whiteboard, he grabbed a marker.

"This year's theme is-"

He turned to face the Glee Club and was met with solemn silence. He took in their glum looks and asked, "What's going on? You guys aren't fighting again, are you?"

No one said anything. Tina just sighed. Kitty rolled her eyes and settled back into her chair. "I know you're not a math teacher, but you can still count, right? Why should we bother practicing if we don't even have enough members to compete?"

Mr. Schue frowned. "I know it was hard having Brittany leave, but I'm sure if you ask around-"

"We're still coming up short, Mr. Schue," Artie said sadly. "There's no way we'll find enough people to sing with us in the next two weeks." Tina sighed again.

"Didn't Sugar say she'd come to competitions, even if she couldn't make it to every rehearsal?" Mr. Schue asked.

Artie shook his head. "Her super rich dad transferred her to a boarding school in California to give her a more 'structured upbringing.'"

"And Joe-"

"-Is building houses for tsunami victims in the Philippines," Jake said, crossing his arms. "We're screwed."

"Don't give up yet, guys," Mr. Schue said, turning to the whiteboard. "This school is teeming with hidden talent. If we look hard enough, I'm sure we can track down enough people to get us to Nationals."

He wrote _New Recruits _on the whiteboard and turned to face them once again. "Keep brainstorming song ideas, but first, find us some new members." He grinned. "And be sure to mention that Nationals is in Los Angeles this year."

* * *

Artie, Tina, Blaine, and Sam made their way to lunch the next day, wincing at each defaced flier they passed in the hallway.

"Why does Mr. Shue insist on putting up fliers? It's _always_ a disaster," Tina groaned. "They should have just mentioned it during the morning announcements so everyone could have a nice laugh and move on. It would have been just as effective and far less humiliating."

"You'd think _someone_ would want to come chill in LA with us," Sam said glumly as he shouldered open the cafeteria door, holding it open for Artie and the others.

"The jerks at this school would blow us off even if the competition was on Pandora," Artie replied as he rolled by.

Blaine gave Sam's shoulder a squeeze at the crestfallen look on his friend's face. "Do you know if Kitty went and talked to the other cheerleaders yet?" he asked Artie as they lined up to get their lunches.

Artie grimaced. "I haven't asked her yet, but I could hear their mocking laughter from halfway across campus."

Tina picked up her tray and followed the others to their usual table. "I heard one girl laughed so hard she dislocated her shoulder."

Sam brought his fist down on the table, but gently, so he didn't knock over anyone's drinks. "It can't end this way. We'll think of something, we always do! _Someone _in this school will agree to come with us, and we're gonna find them."

Blaine nodded. "I'm with Sam. We have to stay positive. If we put our heads together we'll come up with an answer. If Kurt and Rachel were here," he said, grinning, "they'd suggest tricking random students into coming with us. They'd tell them it was a trip to see OneRepublic at the Rose Bowl or something."

Artie tapped his chin thoughtfully as the others laughed. "It's good to have a Plan B," he said with a smile. "And if all else fails, I might be able to blackmail some guys in my Physics class."

Blaine shook his head, smiling ruefully. "The sad truth of the matter is, hostages don't have very good stage presence. If this is going to work, we're going to need at least three willing volunteers."

Tina patted his hand. "Don't hold your breath."

* * *

"Hey, Artie, wait up!"

Artie stopped and spun around, grinning. "What up, Stan?"

The tall, gangly Junior skidded to a stop and smiled down at him. "You got a second?"

"Yeah, walk with me."

As they continued down the hallway, Stan said, "Saw you in the front row at the final band concert. We were all glad you could make it; I thought we sounded pretty good."

Artie nodded. "You guys were great, as always." He added, "Look, I'm sorry about dropping out of Jazz Band this year, but with Glee, and A/V Club, and creating my film portfolio…" Stan held up a hand, his eyes kind.

"Hey, we get it, you've got a lot going on. No need to bring on a Senior Year Meltdown."

"That's no excuse to ditch you guys," Artie said softly, the guilt clear in his voice. "I haven't really hung out with the band since Joanie's Christmas party."

"That's actually what I wanted to talk to you about. Not the Christmas party," he amended, "although I really hope you deleted those pictures like you promised. I mean, hanging out. The gang's meeting up at the Lima Bean after school, and wanted to know if you'd like to come with."

Artie smiled at that. "I'll be there, sans compromising party pictures. Have a latte waiting for me. Extra sugar."

Stan laughed and clapped him on the back, then jogged off down the hall.

* * *

Marley shoved her History textbook in her locker and turned to find a pale, petite girl standing right at her shoulder, dark eyes watching her expectantly.

"Oh! Uh…hi!"

"You're Marley Rose, aren't you?"

"Ummm…yes?"

"I want to talk to you about this Glee Club thing, on behalf of the McKinley Textile Alliance."

"Really? Wait, the what?"

The girl rolled her eyes and said, "The MTA wants to learn more about this choir trip; some of our members are interested in going. I'm Taylor, by the way. What time does your club meet?"

"Tomorrow at three. You're welcome to-"

"We'll be there. I'll go tell the others. Thanks!" She turned on her heel and strode away. Marley sent a small wave toward her retreating figure. Hoping she hadn't just made a terrible mistake, Marley continued on her way, occasionally glancing over her shoulder, this time ready for another ambush.

* * *

Artie spotted the group from Jazz Band at a table in the corner of the Lima Bean, and grinned at the sight of the extra cup by Stan's.

"You know I was just kidding about the latte, right?"

The others laughed and made a space so he could join them. They caught him up on the band's past year: knocking some sense into the freshman guitarists and horn players, a hilariously epic performance at McKinley's annual Custodian Appreciation Luncheon, Austin finally growing his hair long enough to pull it back in a ponytail. Joanie tugged his ponytail teasingly, then shook back her own blond curls.

"We're really happy for you and your choir, Artie. A national competition is a huge deal, so even though it means we're seeing less of you, we're glad you and the Glee kids get one last chance to compete." She bit her lip, and Leo started nervously tapping the table, dark fingers drumming against the faded wood. "We've been wanting to congratulate you, but it's been hard to say anything without getting all mopey."

"What she means to say," Leo said in his soft voice, "is that we're still bummed out about our own trip getting cancelled."

Artie looked up sharply. "This seems like a pretty important part of your yearly recap to leave out. What happened?"

Austin sighed. "We were supposed to go to Jazz Fest in Minneapolis this January, but Principal Sylvester cancelled our trip 'in deference to the Polar Vortex.'"

"We had all of the money raised and everything!" Stan threw up his hands, nearly knocking over his mocha in the process.

Joanie took Stan's flailing hand in hers and turned back to Artie. "Clubs like ours only have enough pull to organize a trip every other year, so that was the last chance for us. And Leo's graduating in a few weeks…"

"We were ready to throw the world's largest pity party," said Stan, "when we noticed_ this_ gracing our school's hallowed halls."

Austin held up a crumpled flyer.

Artie gaped at him, then slowly began to smile. "Wait…"

"If you guys are seriously letting anyone with a pulse join up and head to California-"

Joanie elbowed him in the ribs and shot him a look. He grinned apologetically and turned back to Artie, a hopeful look on his face.

"Can we come with?"

Artie stared. After several seconds of silence, waiting for the laughter to start, he looked at each of them in turn and asked, "Are you serious?"

"Totally!" Stan clapped him on the shoulder. "Come on, man, it'll be fun!"

Artie scratched his head and asked hesitantly, "Can any of you sing?"

Stan leaned forward. "We're jazz musicians," he said seriously. "We'll improvise."

The others groaned. Stan held up his hands in defeat as his friends pelted him with napkins. "Okay, I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I couldn't resist." He grinned at Artie. "Joanie's got a nice voice, and we've all got good rhythm, and if your club doesn't like us just put us on the back row. What've you got to lose?"

Artie smiled. "You guys rock." Holding up his latte, he cried, "We're going to Los Angeles!" As his friends cheered and raised their cups, Artie thought, _we might really pull this off._

* * *

Eager to share his good news, Artie burst into Glee rehearsal the next day with a huge smile on his face. "Guess who found us enough members to compete at Nationals?" He gestured dramatically at the four jazz musicians filing in slowly behind him. As Joanie waved shyly at the club, Artie faced the room and realized the crowd was larger than usual. "Who are these guys?"

Mr. Schue came over to greet their newest guests, saying, "Jake found a couple guys from the basketball team to who were willing to join us. Chad was just explaining…" he gestured for Jake to continue. The blond to Jake's left spoke up.

"I was supposed to go to L.A. with my family and some friends this summer, but my Dad said I couldn't go because I got a C in English. So unfair." He pointed to the tall brunet on his left. "When I told the guys after practice, Jake told us that your music club was going, too, and I could tell my Dad it was for school or whatever. Then Todd said he'd come with me if I wanted to join up."

"Solidarity, man," Todd said with a nod. They bumped fists.

"I'm telling my Dad it's for extra credit. Then I'll do a bonus essay or two to make it look legit. He even says he'll do some fundraising for us, if some of the money can go to the Lima Volunteer Fire Department."

Mr. Schue nodded carefully. "Well, whatever the reason, we're glad you're here. Artie, why don't you introduce us to your friends?" After further introductions were made and everyone found seats, Mr. Schue clapped his hands and said, "Congratulations, guys! You rounded up _more_ than enough new members to get us to Nationals!" As everyone cheered, he made his way to the white board. "Now, let's talk about song suggestions."

Marley timidly raised her hand. "Uh, Mr. Schue? This might not be everyone. You see-"

The door burst open, and a cheerful, chattering group burst in, with Taylor in the lead. "This looks like the place!" She turned to Mr. Schue and smiled. "We're here to learn about the trip to California." Mr. Schue tried to mask his shock by gesturing to the remaining empty seats. Everyone turned to look at Marley.

"So, Taylor found me in the hall and said her group might be interested in joining, and I told her-"

Tina spun in her chair to look at Taylor. "Wait, aren't you the President of the Knitting Club?"

Taylor scowled. "We are the McKinley Textile Alliance, thank you," she said indignantly as the others stifled their laughter. "We may not have our own room or go to fancy competitions, but after merging with the Crochet Society last semester, we became the third largest club at this school, so you might show us some respect." She gestured grandly at the students behind her, four girls and a bored-looking guy dressed all in black.

One of the basketball guys, Chad, squinted into the crowd and said, "Damian? From Geometry? What are you doing with the Knitting Brigade?"

The guy hunched his shoulders. "My Mom made me take up weaving to help me 'channel my anger' or whatever. May as well get a trip to L.A. out of it."

Chad raised an eyebrow. "Angry weaving?"

Damian shrugged. "It works."

"So, how many people do we have now?" Sam asked, looking nervous as the girls from the McKinley Textile Alliance fought for the open seat beside him.

As Blaine worked out a rough count of the room, Tina turned to Artie and smiled. "Nationals better watch out. They'll never know what hit them."

* * *

As their newest members chatted excitedly, Mr. Schue finally unveiled the theme of the competition. "This year's theme is 'Stay True to Yourself,'" he said, writing it up on the board with a flourish. "There are a lot of directions we can take this, but I think our goal should be to inspire our audience. Who has an idea for a song?"

The room erupted as everyone started talking at once. Mr. Schue waved his marker for attention, but the excitement of the crowd won out. Fragments of conversations filtered through the din.

"Who's more true to themselves than Ke$ha?"

"What about, like, Metallica or something? Can there be flames onstage?"

"Come on, no one finds T-Pain inspiring!"

"Guys, guys, one at a time!"

He pointed to a one of their new members, who had her hand raised.

"Do you guys ever sing country?" she asked hesitantly. The group exchanged glances.

"We have more of a pop/rock vibe," Tina said, and the others nodded. "With some Broadway thrown in every once in a while."

"There are country songs that are kind of pop, though," Sam said. "Like Rascal Flatts."

"Or Taylor Swift!" Blaine added.

"Or…hey, what about Lady Antebellum?" Marley asked, and several knitters cheered.

"I love them!" Taylor gushed. "Could we sing Compass? It's so good!"

Mr. Schue wrote Compass on the board, then turned back to face the room. "Excellent idea! Keep it going, guys! We need three songs for our performance. We'll give solos to our seniors for a couple of songs, and do a big group number for the finale. What else?"

Tina raised her hand. "I think Blaine should start us off with a solo, like Rachel used to do. Artie, Sam and I can sing lead on Compass." The others murmured their assent, and Blaine shot her a grateful smile.

Mr. Schue nodded and added their names to the board. "Who has another song idea?"

"What about an 80's song?" asked Ryder. "A big rock anthem."

"That could be cool," Chad said with a nod. "Would you guys do a Journey song?"

He frowned as the Seniors nearly fell out of their chairs. Jake patted him on the shoulder. "That's like their signature move, dude."

As the laughter subsided, Artie gasped out, "We've done all the big ones. We could sing, what, O Sherry? Doesn't exactly fit the theme."

Several members of the McKinley Textile Alliance had their heads together. One girl turned and faced the room. "What about a Disney song?" she asked. "Like _The Little Mermaid_ or something."

Blaine perked up at that, but Kitty cut in. "Isn't that movie the _opposite _of the theme? She totally wanted to be someone else."

"Good Point, Kitty." Mr. Schue wrote Disney on the board. "What Disney movie has a song about staying true to yourself?"

Everyone started rattling off Disney titles.

"The Lion King-"

"Ooh, Tangled-"

"Sleeping Beauty-"

"The Jungle Book-"

"Hey, what about Hercules?" Sam asked. The others nodded thoughtfully and sent smiles his way. Tina grinned at Blaine, who was positively beaming.

"What do you think, Blaine?" Mr. Schue asked. "Want to sing Go the Distance?"

Words seemed to fail him. He nodded rapidly, looking rather starry-eyed.

Taylor twisted in her seat and peered at Blaine. "Is he _crying_?"

"No, it's…I'm fine, it's a great honor," Blaine said with a watery laugh. "That would be amazing, I won't let you guys down." He pulled out his phone with shaking fingers as Mr. Schue added Go the Distance to the board. "Just, just give me a second, I have to tell Kurt…" He jumped up and headed toward the door, texting furiously.

Tina and Artie grinned at each other. "I'll bet Kurt would have some good ideas for staying true to yourself," Artie chuckled.

Tina perked up, a thoughtful smile on her face. "Now _that_ gives me an idea. Mr. Schue, I think I know what we should sing for the finale…"

* * *

The party still in full swing, Jeff threw himself down on the couch and pulled up Twitter on his phone. This impromptu Warbler and Alumni shindig was to celebrate Wes heading off to Cambridge for a summer study program, and while they waited for the next wave of pizzas to arrive, Jeff posted some pictures he and Nick had taken of the guys congratulating Wes. While debating whether or not to post the shot of David dousing Wes in Silly String, he noticed a new tweet from Blaine.

"Guys, check this out!"

The others came over to see what the fuss was about, and Nick barely caught the phone Jeff threw his way. Rolling his eyes, Nick glanced at the screen and grinned.

"Singing Hercules at Nationals, can't believe it, really pumped! #GotheDistance, #BestDayofMyLife, #DreamComeTrue," Nick read, then passed the phone around to the others. "Well _someone's_ excited."

The guys chuckled and crowded around the screen, scanning their old friend's twitter feed for more music updates. Jeff smirked up at Wes, who was leaning against the couch holding an empty champagne flute, bits of Silly String still clinging to his hair.

"The implied message there is, #Suck it, Wes," Jeff said sweetly, and the others laughed. Wes twirled the flute in his fingers and smiled.

"I stand by my decision," Wes said, adding, "A Mulan medley wouldn't have flown at Regionals that year. And Disney songs just didn't fit with the Warblers' aesthetic."

David snorted. "Whatever. You didn't have to make him cry."

Wes threw up his hands. "If I had known he'd start sobbing, I would have phrased my response a little differently! I'm not a monster!" he cried, but could barely be heard over his friends' laughter.

"I bet he kills that song," Nick said, tossing the phone back to Jeff, who grinned.

"What are you guys doing next weekend? We could go to L.A. and hear it for ourselves!" The others cheered.

"What do you say, Wes?" David asked. "A big final send-off in California, show Warbler Blaine our support? Sounds like a road trip is in order!"

A buzzer sounded somewhere in the distance, and the boys cheered again, chanting, "Road trip! Road trip!" as they sped down the hall to snag some fresh pizza. In the ensuing silence, Jeff, Nick, and David smiled expectantly at Wes, who rolled his eyes. "Fine, we can swing by for a couple of days and hear Blaine's Glee Club, but no cross-country mayhem. Seriously, we're taking the jet."

* * *

After greeting some of his former students in the concession line ("I'm not sure they have real food in California, Mr. Schue," Finn had warned him. "What the heck's a kale chip?") Will Schuester paid for his bottled water and pita pocket and moved back toward his section, only to stop short at the sight of a tall, blond woman leaning against the wall, eating a bag of lentil chips with gusto.

"Sue? What are you doing here?"

"I've come to see the show, William. The passes to these things are surprisingly easy to counterfeit."

"How did you get to California so quickly?"

"I took Air Force Two. Biden owed me a favor." She dusted off her hands and steered a perplexed Mr. Schue down the hallway. "Truth be told, I knew I had to come the moment I found out the Lima Volunteer Firefighters were involved with a school-sanctioned trip. Those men cannot be trusted."

Mr. Schue shook his head to clear it and said in what he hoped was a pleasant voice, "Well, whatever the reason, I'm glad you're getting a chance to hear the kids sing. They've worked really hard to get here, and I know it'll be a great show."

Principal Sylvester sighed. "That's the other reason I came today when I would rather be _literally_ anywhere else. Your glee club has absolutely no chance of winning this competition, and the club is virtually guaranteed to be cut from the school roster next year. I thought the polite thing to do would be to tell you to your face."

Mr. Schue frowned. "This is a talented, determined group of kids-"

"You're down to two or three talented kids, a handful of determined ones, and a whole bunch with a decidedly 'I just walked in off the street and know nothing about music' vibe. Did you see that group from Reno? Those maniacs installed a trapeze onstage for their Elton John number. You don't have a chance."

His fist clenched around his lunch, Will ground out, "So that's it? You came all the way here to insult us and tell me the club is over?"

"Pretty much. Although," she added absently, "After those girls from the Future Cat Ladies of America tell their parents how much fun they had over the last couple weeks, and the Jazz geeks talk to the Band geeks and get _those_ families involved, you might actually have some community support for once." She crossed her arms, and he could've sworn she was practically smiling. "By bringing in all of those _talentless_ misfits to add to your original collection, you may have doomed their chances today, but I'll bet the club will be reinstated and making terrible music again by Hanukah."

Mr. Schue opened his mouth, closed it, then opened it again, and said, "Thank you, Sue, we-"

"No time." She pointed at her watch. "We better get back to our seats. Intermission is almost over, and our misfits are up next."

* * *

As the lights in the auditorium flickered on and off for the two-minute warning, Kurt, Rachel, and Finn headed back to their seats, their hands full of intermission snacks, followed closely by their parents.

"That group from Nashville was a bit over-the-top, don't you think?" Kurt asked as they settled into their row. "Why were all of their songs about partying in barns and driving trucks through mud? McKinley has this in the bag."

Finn shrugged. "I don't know, bro, those kids from Brooklyn did a killer job with those Michael Jackson songs."

"Don't call me 'bro,' Finn."

"You're just mad 'cause you know I'm right."

"While not as good as _ours_ was, they did put together a solid medley," Rachel said diplomatically. Kurt rolled his eyes.

"They need to get this show on the road before Blaine has a heart attack," Kurt muttered, checking his phone before shoving it in his bag. "He's been texting me all day, he can't wait to sing his _Hercules_ song," he said fondly. "And did you guys notice who's in the audience? He'll be thrilled!"

He pointed towards the floor section, where a dozen guys were cheering and throwing snacks at each other. The others laughed.

"They're kinda hard to miss, kiddo," Burt said dryly.

"His Dalton friends must follow Blaine online. They probably know about his solo on Mars by now," Finn laughed. "I haven't heard what else they're singing, though."

"It's nice to keep some things a surprise," Rachel said with a secretive smile. Finn raised an eyebrow, but was quickly shushed by Kurt as the lights dimmed for the second half. "Singing right after intermission is good, they'll stick in the judges' minds," Rachel muttered absently as the crowd applauded. She took Kurt's hand as they watched the curtains open, revealing a lone performer with dark, curly hair. Kurt squeezed her hand and settled back to watch.

A single spotlight revealed Blaine sitting near the edge of the stage, one knee tucked up under his chin. He gazed thoughtfully out at the audience as the gentle piano intro began to play. Blaine sang with a voice filled with hope and determination, standing up halfway through the first verse and strolling across the stage, his million-watt smile firmly in place. After the final chorus, he stood triumphantly center stage to thunderous applause. Blaine grinned and bowed as the Warblers leaped from their seats, cheering wildly, while Kurt and his family waved from the balcony.

"What an opening number!" Rachel cried as she hugged Kurt and Finn slapped him on the back.

"That was epic!" Finn pointed at the stage. "Look, everybody's coming out now! Man, Artie wasn't lying; they found a _ton_ of new people."

"Say 'field trip' and everyone comes running," Kurt laughed as the singers formed their rows for the next number. "Just make sure all of the doors are locked before you say 'Glee Club'."

The group clapped and swayed as the music started, Tina taking center stage. _"Yeah, it's been a bumpy road," _she sang with a grin, with Artie and Sam chiming in on the harmony. _"Roller coasters high and low…"_

The rest of the club jumped in on the chorus while doing some very loose choreography in the background. While they weren't always perfectly on key or totally coordinated, the audience couldn't resist getting swept up by their enthusiasm, and everyone cheerfully clapped along. In the end, they stepped to the side as Tina sang the final line.

_When it's all said and done, you can walk instead of run_

_'cause no matter what you'll never be alone…_

She and the other Seniors took their bows as the crowd applauded once again. "That was pretty cool," Finn said as they clapped along, "especially for rookies. The dancing was kinda wild, though. Did you see the dude in the fedora doing the robot?"

Rachel rolled her eyes. "I'm sure they did their best. Tina sounded lovely, anyway. I hope they encouraged the new members to fake it if they had trouble with the music."

Kurt nodded. "Blaine says they found out the kid with the crew cut over there is tone deaf. Unique spent a week teaching him to lip-sync."

"So what's with all the secrecy, guys?" Finn turned to Kurt with a puzzled smile. "Was that the big surprise? That Sam finally got to do a country song?"

Kurt shook his head and pointed toward the stage. "Wait for it…"

As everyone on stage darted back into position, with the Juniors lined up in front, a very familiar tune began to play. Finn's eyebrows shot up; he glanced at Rachel and Kurt, then looked over at his parents. They were all smiling at him. As the Glee Club began to 'ooh' and 'ah', Jake Puckerman stepped forward to sing the first line. Kurt squeezed his brother's shoulder, his eyes shining.

"They're playing our song."

_Oh, her eyes, her eyes_  
Make the stars look like they're not shinin'  
Her hair, her hair  
Falls perfectly without her trying  
She's so beautiful  
And I tell her everyday…

Finn shook his head, at a loss for words. Each Junior took a couple of lines as the others sang gently in the background, while Ryder and Marley, Jake and Kitty, Sam and Unique, and Blaine and Tina paired off to dance. Their row sat in silence, remembering their own rendition of the song, as the group went all out for their final number. As Ryder stepped up to sing the last line, Rachel reached over and took Finn's hand in hers.

_And when you smile_  
The whole world stops and stares for a while  
'Cause, girl, you're amazing  
Just the way you are  
Yeah!

As they joined in the standing ovation, Rachel called out over the crowd, "Tina called me when they found out about the theme, and said this song would be perfect. She remembered how wonderful it was to sing it at the wedding and asked if Kurt and I minded if they added it to their set list."

Kurt nodded. "I told her it was really sweet. We thought it was a great idea, and we all thought it would be fun to make it a surprise."

"Guys, that was…" He shook his head. "Amazing. Thanks."

Burt clapped Finn on the back. "Happy early birthday, big guy."

"My birthday's in August."

Burt shrugged. "Really early."

Everyone laughed as they filed out of their row and headed for the lobby.

Kurt hustled them along. "Move it, people, we still have a chance to sneak backstage and congratulate the club!"

Finn grinned. "You just want to tell Blaine how great he was."

"Your point?"

Smiling and laughing, they rushed on, absently humming a familiar melody as they made their way to the wings.

**Author's Note:**

> And that's a wrap! Thanks for joining me on this throwback adventure; it's been fun to revisit these stories and think back on how much joy this show has brought me. I also have the sudden urge to hunt down some fluffy Warbler fics, which I used to really love... I hope you all have a great October, and thanks again for giving my stories a chance! ~MA


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